Taco Bell Chihuahua
Gidget Chipperton (February 7, 1994 – July 21, 2009), better known as the Taco Bell Chihuahua, was a dog actress and comedienne, best known for appearing in the Taco Bell commercials as its male chihuahua mascot protagonist from 1997 to 2000. In the commercials, her character was voiced by actor Carlos Alazraqui and developed by TBWA and used by Taco Bell, a division of Yum! Brands. The chihuahua is a breed commonly associated with Mexico, as are the tacos that the restaurant serves. At least 3 dogs were used as models for the lead role: The original dog cast was named Dinky, but was replaced at the last minute by the director. The role was then cast to a dog named Taco, but was replaced by the chihuahua that was originally cast as the girlfriend named Gidget. On July 21, 2009, Gidget suffered a massive stroke and was then euthanized and cremated at the age of 15. Early life Gidget was born on February 7, 1994 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Career In a 1997 Taco Bell TV commercial, Gidget played a male dog who, through the magic of special effects and a voice actor (Carlos Alazraqui), proclaims in a richly-accented voice, "¡Yo quiero Taco Bell!" (Spanish for "I want (some) Taco Bell!"). In the commercial's plot, the chihuahua notices a female chihuahua waiting for him and, apparently lovestruck, runs over to her to greet her, only to run past her — thus embarrassing and disappointing her — and over to a man eating a taco and says his catchphrase to him. In response, the man stares at the chihuahua, slightly shocked that he is speaking to him in proper English. "Gidget traveled first-class, opened up the New York Stock Exchange, and made an appearance at Madison Square Garden," Karen McElhatton, Gidget's owner, said. She remained the object of affection after her retirement, going on hikes and beach visits with her trainer. She aged gracefully, and liked nothing more than to snooze in the sun. McElhatton also said, "She was like a little old lady. She'd kind of gotten smaller."Associated Press, "Taco Bell Chihuahua Dies", http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-207_162-5181327.html, July 22, 2009 In later years, she did other acting work, appearing in a 2002 commercial for GEICO once again as the Taco Bell chihuahuaRob Walker, "The Recycled Mascot, Why is the Taco Bell Chihuahua Selling Car Insurance?", http://www.slate.com/articles/business/ad_report_card/2002/08/the_recycled_mascot.html, August 26, 2002 and as Bruiser's mother in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde.IGN, "Gidget Profile", http://stars.ign.com/objects/022/022326.html, May 29, 2012 Reception The ads made the Taco Bell mascot wildly popular and an extremely lovable character that everyone had praised over the years, even though they provoked criticism from activists who accused them of promoting Hispanic stereotypes. Death On July 21, 2009, Gidget suffered a massive stroke in the home of her trainer Sue Chipperton. Afterwards, she was forced to be euthanized at the vet. She was cremated and her ashes were retained by Chipperton. Gidget was 15 years old at the time of her death. Coincidentally, this was a day after Carlos Alazraqui's 47th birthday. Taco Bell Corp. said in a statement that Gidget would be missed by many fans and said, "Our deepest sympathies go out to her owners and fans. Gallery Taco Bell Dog.jpg Taco Bell Chihuahua Dinky.png DINKY.png GIDGET.png 090722-gidget-taco-bell-hmed-9a.jpg Taco Bell Chihuahua.png|The Taco Bell Chihuahua parodied in Robot Chicken References Category:Characters